He Had It, He Lost It, He Found It
by LivvBradshaw03
Summary: David Durango is a thirty-one year old that has it all: the perfect life, the perfect career, the perfect...daughter! What happens when his past catches up to him? Will he risk losing everything he worked so hard for? I DON'T OWN THE SANDLOT 2!
1. 1: Father Figure

Chapter One- Father Figure

David Durango wiped the sweat from his forehead. It was a hot day out, the hottest day so far this summer. He knew he really shouldn't be playing baseball, but he had to. The longing in her chestnut- colored eyes hypnotized him. How could he say no?

David looked at her as she picked up her bat a few feet away. She was short for age, but you could definitely tell that she was thirteen. Her long, brown hair fell in waves to her waist. David wondered how she was able to bear the heat of the sun with all her hair. Not a trace of sweat could be seen on her face. Her face showed traces of strength and power. She was tough, and the gray scar that ran from her upper left brow to below her left eye was a symbol of why she was tough.

Angela was abused when she was younger. Her father would beat her until she was knocked unconscious. One day, he beat her so badly that she almost died. Her cries could be heard from across the street. The neighbors called the cops, and her father was arrested. Angela's mother died during childbirth, so she had no where to go. She moved from foster home to foster home until she came upon David's parents. However, when David's parents died a year later in an auto accident, he took her in. It was the right thing to do. He adopted her as his daughter. She needed him, and he needed her.

"Are you okay, Dave?" Angela called from across the yard. "Do you need a break?"

David sighed and trudged up to the patio. He sat down in a chair and breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought that would never end!"

"You're just getting old," Angela said playfully. She dropped the bat in the grass and ran to a seat next to him. "I mean, thirty-one is pretty old."

"Excuse me?" David grinned. "I'm a minor league baseball player! Thirteen isn't exactly young either!"

"It's young enough," she said. "I don't break a sweat when I play baseball for an hour."

David chuckled. "Yes, and when you're thirteen, you have homework. Did you finish yours?"

David wasn't used to playing the "father-figure" role. He was still a kid at heart, and he remembered the whining he did when his mother pushed him to do his homework.

His mother…

It had been three months since she passed away. She died a few hours before his father. The drunk driver that collided with their car died. As mean as it was, David found satisfaction in the fact that the man who brought death to his family was dead himself. It was a form of justice as far as David was concerned. In way, though, the accident brought him happiness. He met his daughter. It had been a while since he opened his heart to someone. The same went for Angela. They were so similar. That was basically why they got along so well.

"Yeah, but…um…I got detention again," Angela spoke softly.

She hung her head. Although it looked as if she was about to cry, David knew better. She hadn't cried since the day her father nearly killed her. "Jaime" is what she called him. Jaime Sanchez is her father's name. She refuses to call him dad, though. David could never blame her. That man was no dad. Dads love their children and protect them from harm. Jaime Sanchez was a man who did the exact opposite. He was drug addict, an alcoholic, and a heartless man. He was in no position to be called "Father."

David sighed. "This is the fourth time this month, Ang. I hope you understand that. You need to control your temper. It continues to get you into trouble. I'm very disappointed." He softened. "What was it this time?"

Angela's face hardened. She seemed to be staring past David, out into the distance. Her mind was in a different world. She didn't speak, but she slowly pointed to her scar. "Gretchen was teasing my scar. Her older brother, Gavin, joined in. Every one followed. I punched Gretchen in the stomach. Gavin came after me and tackled me to the ground. I gave him a bloody nose and a black eye."

"Kids with names like that are in no place to tease other kids." David tried to make Angela smile, but she didn't budge. "Are there any other consequences?"

"Mrs. Reynolds made me apologize," Angela said. "I told her that making me say sorry was punishment enough, but that got her angrier. I have detention for two weeks, and I have to help out with the school fashion show every Saturday, too."

"Well, that's not so bad…"

"Not bad?" Angela exclaimed. "It's torture, if you ask me! I have to help with a _fashion_ show. Me! A tomboy! Besides, I can't go to baseball practice now!" She stood up suddenly, knocking her chair over. She ran toward the back door.

"Where are you going?" David called.

Angela did not reply. She slammed the door behind her and disappeared into the house.

David stood and slowly followed her into the house. He grabbed a snack from the kitchen before going upstairs. He walked slowly and silently down the hall. If Angela heard him coming, she would lock her door. David walked to the third door on his left. He opened it, thankful that it wasn't locked.

Angela lay on her bed, tossing a baseball up and down. A rock song was playing on her radio. Her walls were painted bright orange, and her rug was hot pink, the only shade of pink that she liked. Posters of famous baseball players covered the walls. Her favorite was taped on a wall by itself, surrounded by newspaper and magazine clippings about the player.

The poster was of David Durango himself. The words SAN JOSE GIANTS ran across the poster above him. DAVID DURANGO #23 was written below his picture. In the picture, David was hitting a home run. He remembered that day. It was his sophomore year in the minor leagues. Here he was, a few years later, in talks with the San Francisco Giants.

Yup, baseball was still his love. However, his other love lay upset on her bed.

David closed the door. "I come in peace. I bear gifts." He held up the snack he grabbed, a bag of potato chips. "Are you hungry?"

"I'm not hungry," Angela declared in a hard tone.

David placed them on her nightstand. "Well, I'll just leave them here."

"I said, 'I'm not hungry.'"

David sighed and sat down on the bed. He caught the baseball Angela was tossing. "We need to talk."

Angela sat up and tried to grab the ball back unsuccessfully. "What's to talk about?"

"I know those kids at school are ignorant, and I know that you're hurt, but don't be. They don't understand the pain you endured. You should be proud of your scar. It represents where you've been. And you know what they saw about the past: It's a big part of your future. Think about it." David stood up, tossing Angela the baseball. "I'll call Mrs. Reynolds and talk about your punishment. Maybe I can lessen it."

Angela grinned slightly. "Thanks, David. You rock."

"You too, kid."

David walked out of the room. He began walking down the stairs. He stopped halfway when he heard the sound of the potato chip bag opening. He grinned.

David Durango had the perfect career, the perfect daughter, and the perfect life.

He had it…

**A/N- Well, there goes the first chapter of my second fanfic. Hope you guys liked it. I know I'm going to regret writing two fanfics at the same time, but summer's coming and I'll have time. Please review and let me know you're opinions and advise. I NEED REVEIWS!!**


	2. 2: Blast from the Past

Chapter Two- Blast from the Past

David drove up to the front of Angela's school. The words MULBERRY HOPE MIDDLE SCHOOL-1953 were engraved in stone above a pair of large oak doors. David smiled when he looked at the brick building. He had a lot of memories during his years in middle school, especially during the summer. He remembered all the summers he played baseball at the sandlot. He missed those days. He missed his friends.

Angela stepped out of the car. "You coming, or not?"

David stepped out of the car, smiling to himself as he recalled his friends—Johnnie, Tarquell, Saul, Sammy, Mac, Jenny, Penny, and…

Hailey Goodfairer. Her name still made his stomach sink. It had been about fourteen years, but he still cared about her. He always knew he would. She was his first and last love.

"Why are you smiling?" Angela asked David. "It's kinda creeping me out."

"I'm just remembering my middle school days," David replied, now following Angela through a maze of twists and turns within the school. "A lot happened during those years."

"Like what?"

"Baseball, friends"—David grinned—"my first girlfriend."

"Who?"

"Her name was Hailey, Hailey Goodfairer. She went on to do big things in softball." David sighed. "You know, I hate to admit it, but I still love her."

"Maybe you'll see her again." Angela shrugged. "If you two were really meant to be together, it could happen."

"Yeah," David said, half to himself. "It could happen."

Angela stopped and opened a wooden door. "Wait here. I'll get Mrs. Reynolds."

"I still don't get why I'm here," David declared, crossing his arms. "I could have called her like I said I would."

Angela didn't reply. She entered the room, closing the door behind her. She reappeared a few moments later with an old woman.

The old woman appeared to be in her early 60s. She was slim and taller than most people her age. Her face came across as unwelcoming, with a permanent expression of disgust, even when she smiled at David. Her teeth were white and beautiful, making them out of place on her sinister body.

"Hello, you must be Angela's guardian." The woman extended a wrinkled hand. "I'm Patricia Reynolds, the assistant principal."

"David Durango," David reluctantly shook the assistant principal's hand. "Pleasure to meet you," he lied.

"I understand that you are here to discuss Angela's behavior," Mrs. Reynolds continued. "I assure you that the children are okay. Angela has learned her lesson. I made sure that she knows she was wrong."

"_She_ was wrong?" David was trying his hardest not to raise his voice. "Mrs. Reynolds, those children were the ones causing trouble. Did you not bother to ask why she hurt those children?"

"I didn't see any reason to. There injuries gave me a story."

"Well, you should have!" David heard his voice rising again, but he let it this time. His booming voice echoed through the empty halls. The three of them were alone. "It's your job!"

"Mr. Durango, I do not appreciate your tone."

"_I_ do not appreciate your methods of punishment, nor do I approve your finger pointed accusingly at Angela." David cleared his throat and calmed down. "I demand that you repeal Angela's punishments, or should I have the school board involved?"

Mrs. Reynolds seemed astonished at David's behavior. Her mouth hung from her jaw, a gasp echoing in the empty hallway. Then she softened, realizing that, if the school board did get involved, she could lose her job.

Angela, on the other hand, seemed very pleased. She had a good feeling that she would be going to baseball practice tomorrow after all.

"Well, I cannot repeal her punishment entirely," Mrs. Reynolds replied when she closed her mouth. "The children's parents would get involved. However, I can lessen it." After a nod of approval from David, she continued, "Angela will give a tour of the city to our guest appearance model for the fashion show on Sunday. I will also need her to finalize her reservations at the Shining Stream Hotel."

"Then it's settled," David declared.

"I suppose so," Mrs. Reynolds replied. "Now, Angela, you're late for class as it is."

"But, Mrs. Reynolds, who is the guest model?" Angela asked.

"Hailey Goodfairer."

David went the rest of the week greatly anticipating the arrival of Hailey Goodfairer. He would have to wait, though. The day she came, she would go to the Shining Stream Hotel. From there, she would tour the city with Angela. They would go back to the hotel at seven, where David would pick up Angela. David had every event memorized.

As David drove to the hotel that evening, his hand trembled on the steering wheel of his 1956 Chevy Bel-Air. He was nervous, very nervous. He entered the hotel parking lot with a knotted stomach. He rubbed his mother's old engagement ring, which he carried with him always, in his jacket pocket for luck. He jumped out of fright when he felt his cell phone vibrate. He parked in an empty parking space and checked his new text message. It was from Angela.

"Hey, David. Me nd Hailey r waitin the front doors."

David felt like he was going to puke. He checked his hair in the rearview mirror. It took hours to get his blond locks just right. His clothes took even longer. He smoothed his tight, black polo shirt. He checked the zipper on his dark blue jeans before adjusting his tan, leather jacket.

He was ready. He had been waiting for this moment for a very long time. Now it was here, and he was fully prepared.

He approached the front doors slowly. Angela spotted him, and he saw her. He looked around for a moment before he found Hailey.

She looked as beautiful as she ever had. Her brown hair was still long, but it was now straight and darker. Her greenish-bluish eyes sparkled when she spotted him back. Her right hand, which rested beside her skinny jeans, was risen and now waving. A smile formed on her face.

David was hypnotized by her beauty. He didn't even realize that he had reached them.

"Hey, Dave," Angela said. When he did not reply, she sighed. "I'm fine. It's really good to see you too. Sure, I'll give you two a moment to chat." She took his car keys and began walking away backwards, waiting for some sort of reply from him. When none came, she rolled her eyes and continued walking correctly back to the car.

David and Hailey were alone.

"Hi, David," Hailey said with a 500-watt smile. "I love your daughter, she's wonderful. You and your wife are really lucky to have her. Who is the lucky woman, anyway?"

David was stuck in the 1970s on the same day he first spoke to Hailey. He stood still, staring at Hailey. He was speechless, releasing his 12-year-old self. He couldn't believe that Hailey thought he was married. He didn't want her to think that. With all his strength, he tried to speak.

Two words came out: "Single…adopted."

"Oh, so you're single?" she asked. She seemed a little…ecstatic? "Me too." She sighed. "I have been since we broke up all those years ago. I just never met had the time, you know, with softball and then modeling. I guess no man ever understood me like you did. I realized how lucky I was to have you after we separated. It was one of the biggest mistakes of my life."

David did not reply. He couldn't believe the words coming out of Hailey's mouth. If only words would come out of his mouth. He nodded, not knowing what he was saying yes to. He felt stupid, and he was more than certain that he looked it, too.

"David, I still care about you," Hailey said softly. "I know you care about me still, too. Angela told me that you said so." She took a step toward David. "David, I'm still in love with you…more than ever before."

David's thoughts were racing in his mind. It was true love, and they both knew it. She felt it too. Nothing else could have kept their love alive for so long. They were meant to be together.

Now, if only he could speak!

"You haven't changed," Hailey stated with a smile. "Must we do this _again_?" She sighed and giggled. "You're supposed to say, 'I'm still in love with you, too.'"

No words came out of David's mouth. He was trying to say something, but his mouth remained glued shut. Maybe it was for the best. If he spoke, something stupid might come out. It was totally ruin the moment. He knew what he wanted to say, he just couldn't get the strength to do it. Maybe if Hailey wanted him to…

Then it came. "You're supposed to say, 'Will you marry me?'"

David grinned and bent down on one knee. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his mother's engagement ring. He hadn't planned on using it, let alone proposing to her tonight, but it felt right. What he was doing was good for him, and he knew his mother wouldn't mind. She'd want him to be happy, and Hailey being his wife would certainly make him the happiest man in the world.

"Hailey Goodfairer, will you marry me?"

Hailey laughed, tears forming in her eyes. She lunged at him, hugging him tightly. "Yes!" she exclaimed. "A million times yes!"

David smiled widely. He stood, grabbing Hailey's left hand. He slid the ring on her ring finger. A tear formed in his own eyes, but he made sure to not let it fall. David kissed Hailey for the first time in about fourteen years. It was by far the most passionate kiss they ever shared.

David Durango had it all: the perfect life, the perfect career, the perfect daughter, and the perfect fiancée.

**A/N- I know that you guys are reading my story, so please review! It gives me more reason to update often. I need to know what you think about the story! PLEASE REVIEW!!**


	3. 3: Losing Him, Losing Her

Chapter Three- Losing Him, Losing Her

"What do you think about this one?" Hailey asked.

"No," Angela replied.

"Why not?"

"Look at David. Those were his chubby years. Can't you tell?"

Hailey took a closer look. "I guess you're right." She sighed. "Better keep looking."

Hailey and Angela sat in the family room. Piles of photo albums were set on the table before them. They were going through each one, desperately looking for pictures. Hailey had gotten the bright idea of displaying pictures of her and David throughout the venue at their wedding reception.

Months had passed since David proposed. Hailey moved in with David and Angela. She fit right in the neighborhood. David's friends and family quickly embraced and accepted her. One person, on the other hand, was having a harder time accepting Hailey.

Angela was never one to handle change easily. She had no problem accepting Hailey as a friend when they first met because she didn't think they would see each other again, anyway. Now that Hailey was staying for good, Angela had to adopt to living with her everyday. Hailey was going to be her new _mom. _How could she open her heart so easily?

To make matters worse for Angela, David was spending an awful lot of time with Hailey. He hardly spent any one-on-one with Angela anymore. The couple shared dinner alone, exercised alone, spent time on the patio alone. They even watched TV alone! Would life after the "I dos" be like this? If it was, Angela didn't want any part of it.

"Are you okay, Angela?"

Angela, who had been secretly texting her friend Nate, put on a fake smile and pretended to be looking at a photo. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Angela, I just got a brilliant idea!" Hailey exclaimed. Angela raised her brows as if to usher Hailey along. "Well, what if we put up pictures of all of us together?" Hailey leaned over and rested a hand on Angela's knee. She looked Angela straight in the eyes and said, "Would you like that?"

In response, Angela stood up, knocking away Hailey's hand. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm the ugly duckling in our soon-to-be-family." She began pacing around the room. "David's a buff baseball player, you're a supermodel, and what am I?" She pointed to her scar. "I'm a kid with this."

Hailey grew alarmed. "Angela, don't say that!" She walked up to Angela. "You're a beautiful girl."

Hailey attempted to hug Angela, but she stepped back out her arms. "You don't even know what happened."

"Yes, I do," Hailey persisted. "David told me."

Angela felt her cheeks turn red in anger. _How could David tell her?_ she thought. _He has no right to walk around, telling people my business. We agreed that we would never tell anyone without my consent._

"Angela, you look a little red," Hailey said. "Maybe you should get some fresh air."

"Where is he?" Angela asked.

"Who?"

"David. Where's David?"

"He's at a meeting with the San Francisco Giants. He either gets accepted or declined today, remember?"

Angela nodded a little. She headed out to the porch. She told Hailey she did need a little fresh air. This was a lie, of course, because as soon as she stepped outside, she grabbed her bike. She rode halfway down the block when she felt her pocket vibrate. _Nate_, she thought. She checked her new text.

**From: Nate**

**Received at 5:49 pm**

**Just make an excuse & leave her. We can meet the park. U no…hav a picnic or sumthin…**

Angela grinned. Nate was asking her out! Finally! Something good was happening the first time that day.

**To: Nate **

**Sent at 5:50 pm**

**Sure. U bring the food, tho. I stomped out on Hailey & I ain't goin back anytime soon. One question, tho. R u askin me out on a date?**

**From: Nate**

**Received at 5:54 pm**

**Kinda ;) Is that a yes then?**

**To: Nate**

**Sent at 5:57 pm**

**I did say sure.**

**From: Nate**

**Received at 6:01 pm**

**Sweet. B there soon.**

Angela managed to put David and Hailey behind her while she was with Nate. He was sweet enough not to bring them up, either.

"Look at that star," Nate said, pointing west.

"It's so bright," Angela said. "It's beautiful."

"Like you."

Angela laughed. "Corny, much?"

"Sorry," Nate said blushing. He sat up. "I'm just so happy you came. I've had a major crush on you for so long."

Angela sat up. "Diddo." She gasped. "Crap!" She sat up, and Nate did the same. "What time is it?"

Nate glanced up at his wristwatch. "It's almost seven. Why?"

"They don't know I left!" Angela ran over to her bike. "I have to go."

Nate's face fell. "Oh."

Angela froze. She sighed. "Um…Nate?" She bit her lip. "Will you take me home?"

Nate grinned in answer.

They rode in silence. Every now and then, Angela could see Nate smiling at her from the corner of her eye. She found herself blushing, glad that he couldn't see because it was already dark out.

When they arrived at Angela's house, David and Hailey were on the front porch. Angela could hear them shouting. Surely, they weren't arguing?

"Uh…I'll see you around, Nate."

She walked her bike up to the house. David and Hailey grew silent when they saw her.

"Where the heck have you been?" David cried. He was angry, very angry. "You leave without telling anyone and return after dark."

Angela spoke softly. "I was with Nate." She tried her luck, "I had my phone."

"Hailey, can I talk to her alone?"

Hailey went inside, leaving Angela and David alone. It was the first time in the last few months that Angela wished David and she weren't alone.

"I don't care," David said. "What has gotten into you lately?"

"Me?" Angela was shouting now. "You're one who's changed! You don't care about me. No! It's all about Hailey and the San Francisco Giants now!"

At the name of the San Francisco Giants, David flinched. "I don't want to hear that team name again!"

Angela scoffed. "That's it, huh? They turned you down, and now you're taking it out on me. You're just like Jaime! How pathetic can you get?" Angela tossed her bike down.

David lost it then. "I'M YOUR FATHER! DON'T TALK TO ME LIKE THAT!"

Angela brushed past him and headed inside. "YOU'RE NOT MY FATHER!"

David grabbed her hand and pulled her back. Angela yanked it away. Then it happened. David pushed Angela as hard as he could. Angela fell down the porch steps, hitting her head hard on her bike and the concrete.

Angela lifted her hand to her forehead and writhed in pain. Blood fell from a gash on her forehead. She had a black eye surrounding the right part of her face. She stared at David in disbelief, who stared back with the same shocked expression.

Hailey walked out of the front door at that moment. "David, maybe you guys should…" She saw Angela, bruised and bleeding by her bike on the ground a few feet away. "David, please tell me she fell."

Angela took the chance to run. She ran as fast as she could down the street, the same way she came. No one followed her. Her lungs began to burn, and she felt as if her heart was about to burst in her chest. Still, she ran, not stopping until she reached Nate's house. She ran to the backyard, relieved that Nate's bedroom light was on. She picked up a small pebble and tossed it at the window.

About an hour later, Angela, with her face cleaned up, and Nate, worried and confused, sat in a tent in the backyard.

"Does it hurt?"

Angela nodded.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?"

"He lost me. That's what happened."

**A/N: I want to thank everyone who reviewed. It inspired me to write another chapter. As of right now, it looks like there is going to be about three more chapters before the stories finished. Keep reading until then. I'll try to update as soon as I can. PLEASE REVIEW!! **


	4. 4: It's Over

Chapter Four- It's Over

David and Hailey immediately went out to look for her. They had to do it on their own, though. If they got the police involved, David would get arrested for sure. He feared that she may have already gotten the police involved, however.

David drove his car around the neighborhood. His high beams were on, and his eyes searched every shadow and dark corner they drove past. Hailey sat beside him in the passenger seat of the car. As well as keeping her eye out for Angela, she called as many people as she could.

She sighed as she hung up her cell phone. "That was Mrs. Johnson. She hasn't seen her either."

"Where could she have possibly gone?" David demanded, slamming his hand on the steering wheel. "How could she just disappear?"

"First off, can you calm down?" Hailey scolded. "Your anger is what got us into this in the first place." She pulled out her phone again. "Secondly, let me try the Kress family. Angela's close to their son, Nate."

David didn't reply. Instead, he kept his eyes on the road and his hands firmly on the steering wheel.

Meanwhile, Angela lay beside Nate in his tent. Nate snored loudly, which was partly why Angela hadn't fallen asleep yet. The other reason was that she had too much on her mind.

_I wonder if they're looking for me._

As if knowing his friend was in distress, Nate sat up in his sleeping bag. He yawned loudly before staring down at Angela.

"You okay?"

Angela nodded, forgetting that Nate probably couldn't see her in the dark. "Do you think he's looking for me? David, I mean."

"I don't see why not," Nate replied. He lay down again, turning his body toward Angela. "You may have gotten into a fight, but he's still your dad, and he still loves you."

Angela faced Nate. "You don't get it. He's not my father." She sighed. "Just forget I said anything. Change of subject." She paused. "Your parents won't tell on him, will they?"

"What? About your cut?"

"And black eye."

Nate shrugged. "I don't think they will. Why? Do you want them to?"

"I don't know. It's like…when Jaime hurt me, all I wanted was to tell someone. Let someone in on the secret. I wanted them to tell the cops for me. I was too scared to." She flipped over and lay on her stomach, staring past Nate at darkness. "It's different with David, though. I mean, Jaime wanted to hurt me. He meant it. David didn't…He doesn't. With him, I know it was an accident. And I know he regrets it."

Nate didn't reply. He didn't know what to say, anyway.

David parked in front the Kress' house. He unbuckled his seatbelt slowly, as if he wasn't sure whether or not he wanted to go inside. Hailey watched him, unsure of what to do.

"Are you okay?" she asked. "You seem a little…scared."

"Scared?" he scoffed. "That's the understatement of the year! I'm terrified!" He finally unbuckled his seatbelt and stared at the Kress' Victorian home. "What if they called the cops? What if the police are waiting for me inside?"

Hailey rubbed his arm. "Mr. Kress told me they didn't. He said Angela made them promise not to."

"You don't even know Kevin that well! You first met him three weeks ago! You believe him?"

Hailey seemed hurt by David's words. "I believe in Angela, and I know she wouldn't want the cops involved. She loves you too much."

"If she loved me, she wouldn't have made me hit her."

"You did that, David! _You!_ Not Angela!" Hailey unbuckled her seatbelt. "If you're not going to accept responsibility for your actions and act like a wuss, I'll go get her myself!" Hailey stepped out of the car and began walking towards the front door.

David rolled down the car window and called after her. "You think I'm being irresponsible?"

"I don't _think_ you are, David. You _are_!" Hailey shouted. "You hurt your daughter and blame her! She runs away, you blame her!" She crossed her arms across her chest. "I bet you don't even really care if she's okay. All you have in mind is your stupid baseball career, and how the Giants rejected you. There are more important things in life, David Durango!"

David exited the car, slamming the door behind him. "So what? You think I don't care about Angela? You think I don't care about everyone else?" What came next became the greatest regret of David's life. "Well, I don't! I don't care anybody else but me! Because when things like this happen, I can only trust myself."

Hailey's eyes began to burn. She fought back her tears, but she couldn't help it. Her sadness poured down her cheeks, chilled by the night air. Pulling her engagement ring off her finger, she shoved it into David's hand. "Then I guess you wouldn't mind marrying yourself either."

David couldn't believe his ears. At that moment, he himself wanted to run away. He wanted to shut out the world. Things were getting tough. And when the going gets tough, David gets going.

Hailey remained where she was for a moment. There was so much more she wanted to say, and if things with David were really over, she didn't want to leave anything left unsaid. But she couldn't bring herself to do it, couldn't bring herself to say them.

A few seconds past, but it felt like an eternity.

"You don't care about me?"

David and Hailey both turned to see Angela standing nearby. She was accompanied by Nate, who lingered a few steps behind her. They had come running when they saw a car pull up to the house.

Hailey moved toward Angela. To her surprise, Angela didn't try to escape as she grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the Kress' house.

"Nate, do you think your parents have room for one more visitor?" Hailey asked.

Nate gave a small smile. "I think that could be arranged."

As Hailey and Angela walked away, David didn't move. He was frozen where he was.

Deep in his heart, he knew it was all over.

**A/N- Sorry I haven't updated in a while. A lot has been going on this summer and I haven't really gotten the chance. Anyway, there you have it. I, personally, think it was one of my better chapters. I hope you think so, too. ****PEOPLE, PEOPLE PLEASE REVIEW!!**** Look, you have me capitalizing and underlining that request now. But seriously, a lot of you put this on story alert and stuff, but you don't review. I need you to let me know what you think so I can make the story better. So, once again…****PEOPLE,PEOPLE PLEASE REVIEW!!**


	5. 5: Running and Losing

Chapter Five- Running and Losing

David wasn't awoken by the sweet aroma of pancakes and syrup at about eight o'clock the next morning. Instead, he dragged himself out of bed at about twelve. And he probably would've stayed in bed much, much longer if he hadn't heard the front door slam.

He was up in an instant, running down the stairs wearing only his boxers and carrying a baseball bat. He followed the intruder into the kitchen. Poking his head around kitchen doorway, he spotted someone with their head in his refrigerator. He eased his way toward the refrigerator, stepping on a creaky floorboard.

The intruder poked their head out.

"Angela?" David asked, lowering the bat. "What are you doing here?"

Angela closed the refrigerator door after grabbing a raw steak. "You adopted me, I live here." She held the steak up to her swollen eye.

David only stared. He didn't know what to say.

He put the bat down and followed Angela into the family room, where she lay on the couch watching television. "So what's for lunch? I'm starving."

"You're…You're not mad?" David asked. He couldn't believe it. Only a few hours ago he had given Angela a black eye, broken up with his fiancée, and lost his life. Now here was his daughter, laughing at a rerun of _I Love Lucy_ as if nothing happened.

Angela scoffed. "Mad? Well, isn't that the understatement of the year! I'm furious!" She sat up. "But, according to the adoption papers you signed, we're stuck with each other." She waved her hand. "Just feed me and everything will be fine."

David stared at Angela in disbelief. "And where's Hailey?"

Angela shrugged in reply, flipping through channels on the television. "Probably halfway to New York by now."

"New York?!" David was on his feet. "She's leaving?!"

Angela nodded. "Mm-hm." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a note. "She asked me to give this to you."

David snatched the note and struggled to open it quickly. He read Hailey's handwriting with a heavy heart.

_Dear David, _

_I know you probably deserve a proper goodbye, but I had to leave in a hurry. Don't blame yourself. I was scared, too. We were rushing this marriage thing, and look what it's made us—brokenhearted, teary-eyed. (Or at least I am.) I know that I am probably doing the cowardly thing. Running is not the answer. But something tells me that I should try anyway. I already lost you. What else have I got to lose?_

The note wasn't signed. No "Love, Hailey," or "Yours, Hailey." Not even a "Sincerely, Hailey." She did not love him anymore, she wasn't his anymore. But her words were sincere and from the heart. She was right about everything.

And David wasn't about to lose her for good.

****

A/N: Hey. Sorry it took so long. I wrote a while ago, but I forgot to post it. I have Chapter Six finished too. I'll post that after I post another chapter for my other story. Thanks for waiting. REVIEW!


	6. 6: The Aftermath

Chapter Six- The Aftermath

As David opened his eyes, a little gasp escaped him. He sat up in bed, staring a young girl wearing a Yankees baseball cap.

"Gee, I didn't know I was that ugly," Angela mumbled, tossing the cap on the bed beside David.

"No, no, I just forgot where we were for a second," David said, rubbing his eyes.

"We're in New York. Duh!" Angela sat cross legged on the floor and began rummaging through her suitcase. "Arrived last night from Los Angeles, remember? I believe your exact words when we boarded the plane were, 'I can't let her go.' Ring a bell, macho man?"

David rolled his eyes. "What time is it?"

"I don't know. Twelve?"

"TWELVE!" David hopped out of bed. "I slept in?"

"Obviously."

David couldn't believe his ears. He couldn't remember anything. The plane flight was erased from his memories. The ride to the hotel was completely gone. He couldn't remember what happened after he read the note Hailey left. The reason was this--a part of him died when Hailey left. She took everything with her. His memories, his heart, his soul. Gone. But he clearly remembered why he was there. His mission wasn't accomplished yet.

_I gotta find Hailey and make this right._

Throwing the sheets off him, he ran to the bathroom and got dressed. Ruffling his hair in the mirror, he sighed. "How am I going to do that?" He slammed his hands on the sink. "Idiot! This could have been completely avoidable is you had just kept your big trap shut." He ran his hand across the sink in a quick motion, knocking all the products on the sick onto the floor. "How could you be so stupid?"

After a spending a few minutes cleaning up the bathroom, David found his way back into the bedroom. He looked around, expecting to see Angela. Then he remembered Angela's conversation with him just the day before, and his heart broke all over again. _She hates me, and so she's avoiding me. All I know is gone._

Just then, David got an idea. Slapping his himself on the forehead, he said, "Duh! Cell phone!"

Making his way over to his suitcase, he picked up the phone. "I'll call her."

His trembling fingers dialed the number. Each ring on the other line made David's heart do a flip. He whispered to himself, a soft, desperate plea.

"Pick up, pick up. Please don't let it be too late."

___________________________________

Hailey walked along the streets alone, a bag full of Versace clothes in her hand. Swinging the bag back and forth, she sighed. David wasn't the only one suffering.

After leaving Los Angeles, Hailey went back to living in her New York loft. All of her belongings were still there, of course. Even after she moved in with David, she left everything there. It was because she knew she might have to travel to New York on business trips. But in the past few days, she convinced herself it was because, deep down, she knew things with David wouldn't work out.

Looking up from her feet, Hailey looked at the sidewalk expanding before her. There were many people walking in front of her. Some were heading her direction, others were going the way she had just come from. She didn't know why, but she glanced over at the store next to her.

She must have passed the store a million times in her life. She always walked past it on her way to and from her favorite designer stores. But for some reason, it was like she just noticed the store was there. And something was pulling her toward it. A part of her said, "It's a store full of paintings. Who cares?" However, her feet were not listening. She entered the store, anyway.

Inside, there were painting on every wall. Some were filled with random colors as to promote a mood or feeling. Other paintings were of scenery or people. A few photographs also hung on the walls, too. There were hundreds of them, but one photograph in particular caught Hailey's attention.

In the photograph, a man and a woman stared deep into each other's eyes. The man wore an old Union uniform, and the woman was dressed in an old 1880s dress. She stood on a Confederate flag.

"Are you looking for anything in particular?" a man asked.

Hailey shook her head. "Who took this picture?"

"Ah, that one." The man stared at the photograph with admiration. "My great-grandfather took that photo many years ago during the Civil War. You see, he was a war photographer. However, out of all of his photos of dead and unhappy soldiers, this was his most famous. He called it 'Forbidden Love.'" The man grinned a sad smile. "The woman was from the Confederacy and the man was fighting for the Union. They met one day--don't ask me how--and they fell in love. It was a forbidden love, yet an eternal bond."

"Did it all work out?" Hailey asked.

"Alas, no." The man held his head in reverence. "The man died during the Battle of Gettysburg. The woman died of heartache a few weeks later."

Hailey tilted her head, staring at the photo closely. _His eyes. They're filled with the same love David felt when he looked at me._

Pulling out her cell phone, Hailey looked at a picture she had taken of David when she still lived in Los Angeles. When everything was good. David's eyes matched the Union soldiers perfectly.

"Is that your husband?"

Hailey grinned a little. "Yes. Yes, it is."

Just then, her phone began to ring. She stared down at the name in disbelief.

DAVID.

Her hands shaking, she pressed "Talk" and held the phone up to her ear.

"Hello?"

**A/N: Hey, hey, hey people!!! Little hyper today, sorry. Anyway, here's chapter six. I haven't started seven yet, but I will ASAP. I think the story will have about two or three more chapters. Stay tuned! REVIEW!!!**


	7. 7: Making and Meeting Up

Chapter Seven- Making and Meeting Up

Her voice was sweet as chocolate and shaky as the Richter scale. It was as chipper as the morning bird's first chirp, yet as sharp as an eagle's cry. Her voice broke David's heart, and filled it with joy at the same time. She was the only one who had ever made him feel that way. Forever, she would be.

"David? Are you there?"

"Uh...Yeah, yeah. I am, Hailey." Her name tasted sweet on his tongue. "How are you?"

_What kind of a question is that?_ she thought. How desperately she wanted to say it out loud. _My engagement was just broke off and I'm heartbroken. And you want to know how I am?_ Instead, she said, "I'm doing okay. And you?"

"I'm well."

"Really?"

"...No." David sighed. "No, I'm not."

"Me neither."

An awkward silence filled the a gap in the conversation. David took the moment to fight back a few tears that were beginning to fill his eyes. Hailey took the moment to leave the art store and give the photograph of the soldier and woman one last look. She leaned against the store's exterior wall. She began fighting back tears of her own.

"I'm in New York," David said finally. "I would like to see you...if that's, you know, okay with you."

"You're in New York?" Hailey asked shocked. "You came all the way to New York. Why?"

"I have to see you," David said. "I have to."

"Why?"

"Because I..." David stopped himself. "Please just....Can I see you?"

Hailey bit her lip. _David? In New York? _she thought. _You've got to be kidding!_ She couldn't believe that this was happening. After all that he had said, he had come to find her. _Does he care about me or not?_ He had to. He flew across the country just to talk. _He really does love me!_

"Well, I guess," she quietly said. "Meet me in Central Park at six."

David nodded, forgetting that Hailey couldn't see him. He was so happy, he hung up on her, forgetting to say he would be there. He quickly texted her, letting her know that he'd see her there. Then, out loud, he shouted, "I gotta find something to wear!"

_________________________________________

Hours later, David stood on the pitcher's mound in one of Central Park's many sandlots. At that moment, he wasn't thinking about playing at some random minor league field. He was too busy thinking about his days before that. Back when it was just he and the gang. Before he and Hailey got engaged. Before Angela hated him.

_Where did the time go?_

Then he closed his eyes and remembered the very moment he realized he loved her. It wasn't when they first kissed after he got her dad's shuttle back. It wasn't when she had thrown the fastest pitch he had ever seen. It was the day Singleton and the sandlot gang went against them. He can remember Hailey's hair bobbing up and down as she ran for home. And Singleton hit her in the gut, shouting, "You're out!" That was the moment. Her pain killed him inside. And it still did now.

David grinned to himself, remembering that day. It changed his life forever.

"Hey," he heard a sweet voice say from behind him.

He looked toward second base, where Hailey was standing hesitantly, wondering if she should approach. Her hands remained on her slim hips. She was mad, yes, but her face gave her happiness away. She tried to conceal it as hard as she could, but she could never hide anything from David. Never.

"Hi," David replied awkwardly. "I'm glad you came."

"We'll see," Hailey said. "So...the sandlot..." She looked around for a moment, taking in the air. "Brings back a lot of memories, doesn't it?"

David smiled. "Yeah, it does." He thought for a moment. "Remember the shuttle incident?"

Hailey laughed. It was a sweet giggle that a bird's song at dawn could not compare to. "How could I ever forget it? It was the best summer of my life."

"Very groovy, don't you think?" David asked playfully. "You had an attitude then. You still do."

"Do not!" Hailey snapped, feeling her face turning red hot.

David held up his hands. "Whatever you say." Spotting a hot dog stand nearby, he asked, "You hungry? We could grab a bite and go for a walk."

"Sure," Hailey said a little reluctantly.

A few minutes later, Hailey and David sat together on a bench in the park. They ate their food wordlessly. It was an awkward silence that dragged on for what felt like hours. As Hailey went to eat another bite of her hot dog, a blob of ketchup fell onto her lap. She quickly grabbed a napkin and began cleaning herself up.

"This is a mess," she stated.

"I know," David replied.

"I wasn't talking about the ketchup."

"I know."

Another awkward silence filled the air. David began to help Hailey, only making the stain even worse.

"Sorry," he said.

"I know."

"I wasn't talking about the ketchup."

"I know."

Hailey finally gave up, placing the crumbled napkin on the bench beside her. Taking a drink from her soda, she offered some to David, who had none. When he refused, she asked, "What happened to us?"

"I became a jerk," David said. "Like I said, it was all my fault."

"It wasn't entirely..." Hailey began.

"Yes, it was." David continued. "I didn't mean anything I said back at the Kress' house. None of it." He looked deeply into Hailey's eyes, Hailey's soul. "I was just so angry that day. My daughter ran away all because I hit her. I felt like I was becoming her father. Her _real_ father. The very man she hates. I was scared, and I hated feeling so vulnerable. Then on top of the whole rejection thing, I felt like the whole world was against me." Tears began to well up in his eyes, which he fought away with all his might. "I was being selfish, all I thought about was myself. And then I thought, how can you think about only yourself when you are about to get married? Once you're married, it's not just about you, it's about your wife, too. About _you_, Hailey. And I got even angrier." He lost all control. The hot tears began to fall down his cheeks. "I took it out on you, and I hurt you. And believe me, Hailey, that is the last thing I ever intended to do. I would rather die than hurt you. And I have. Each moment that passed after you gave me back the ring, I died a thousand deaths." He stood, wiping his tears as he did so. "I'm s...sorry, Hailey. S...so sorry."

He turned and began to walk away, believing that it would be the last time he would ever see Hailey. He turned around, expecting to see her. He wanted to look at her one last time. To his surprise, she wasn't sitting on the bench. She was running toward him. Throwing her arms around his neck, she kissed him on the mouth.

It was the most passionate kiss the two had ever shared. It lasted forever. With each second, David's heart soared higher and higher above the clouds. He held on to Hailey as tightly as he could, even after they stopped kissing.

"You're forgiven, you big egghead," Hailey whispered into his ear.

"I love you...so much," David whispered back. "And I was crazy to make you think otherwise."

"I love you too, David," Hailey replied.

David reluctantly let her go. "How can I make it up to you? How can I ever thank you?"

"You can start by answering a question."

"Anything, my love."

"Is that offer for marriage still available?" Hailey asked.

"Anything for you." David said. Taking the engagement ring Hailey had given back to him, David slipped the ring back on Hailey's finger.

"Perfect."

David smiled. Life really was.

**A/N- Well, there you have it. Chapter seven is complete!!! Yay!!! Took me long enough...Anyway, hope you guys like it. The story will end soon. Probably about one or two more chapters left. (Kind of weird that both of my stories are ending at the same time...) Anyway, please REVIEW!!!**


	8. 8: Letting It Out

Chapter Eight- The Day Before the Wedding a.k.a. Letting It Out

David sat up in bed. He glanced beside him at Hailey, who lay snoring beside him. Her hair was a mess, and she probably had morning breath, but David didn't care. She was beautiful, and she was his once again. Laying down in bed again, he wrapped his arms around her protectively, pulling her close to his body. Hailey woke up, but she did not protest.

Things had gone uphill for Hailey and David ever since they made up in Central Park. Hailey had moved back into David's LA mansion. They had taken up the impossible task of planning the perfect wedding once again. Every day was the same: They woke up, they checked that all arrangements for the plan were stay a-okay, they reread the RSVPs they had received, they double-checked arrangements, and they went to bed.

But tomorrow would be different. Tomorrow David wouldn't wake up with Hailey in his arms. Instead, she would sleep over her old friend Jenny's house with her other friend Penny and Angela, among other bridesmaids. David's groomsmen, including Jenny's and Penny's husbands, would be staying here. And then, by twelve o'clock, Hailey would walk down the aisle.

Hailey yawned and looked behind her. "Good morning."

David smiled. "'Morning."

With another yawn, Hailey turned over in bed and faced David. "So I'm guessing all we do today is double-check wedding plans?" A small grin formed on her face. "Never thought I'd finally say that."

"First and last time," David replied.

He caressed her face in his hands, looking deep into her blue eyes. He reminisced all of their days together. Hot summers on the sandlot ran through his mind, and he remembered their first kiss. A smile spread across his lips.

"Why are looking at me that way?" Hailey asked.

David's replying grin resembled that of a shy schoolboy. "Just thinking..." He cocked his head. "You remember our first kiss? And that summer on the sandlot?"

Hailey beamed. "How could I forget?" She thought for a moment. "Remember the first time we met? You were too shy to speak...And you had some rocking bell-bottoms."

"Hey! It was the seventies!"

"Well, I don't care what time period it was...It was love at first sight."

David leaned in to kiss her. Suddenly, a loud shout erupted from downstairs. In an instant, David and Hailey were out of bed, running hand-in-hand down the stairs.

"I did _not_ agree to this!" Angela was shouting at two familiar women--one blond, one brunette. The blond was holding a frilly pink dress. "Where the heck is--" Angela caught sight of Hailey and addressed her now. "What is this?"

Ignoring Angela, Hailey jumped at her old friends, Penny and Jenny, and hugged them close. It's not like they hadn't seen each other in years, but it seemed that way. David would never understand women, even if he was getting married tomorrow.

While this was going on, David took in his old sandlot friends. Penny hadn't changed that much. Time hadn't changed her one bit. And Jenny was much the same. While looking at them, David was able to remember them as seventh graders in their softball uniforms. But with one exception: Jenny wasn't as round in the belly then.

"Jenny!" Hailey let go of her friend and rested her hand on Jenny's belly. "You got bigger!"

"Yeah," Jenny said. "I told you to expect the unexpected."

Concern and fear washed over Hailey's face. "But the bridesmaid dress! Does it still fit you?"

"Chill." Penny spoke up now. "Angela already thought of that, even when we forgot. She just called Jenny one day and asked what her new size was. She already fixed it."

Hailey and David stared at Angela in disbelief. She had lately been so angry, so blasé about the wedding. It even took some convincing to make her agree to be a bridesmaid. Yet the whole time she was secretly helping to make the wedding perfect. David didn't know whether his expression at that moment expressed pride or confusion.

"You did that for me?" Hailey asked Angela in disbelief.

Angela ignored her. "You didn't tell I would have to wear a dress!"

"It was implied. It's in the job description."

"A pink one?!" Angela poked at the frills of the dress. "No wonder why you didn't want me there when you and"--she jerked her thumb toward Jenny and Penny--"them picked the dresses out!"

Hailey rolled her eyes. "It's really no big deal, Ang. They'll go great with the stilettos."

"Excuse me?!" Angela's face was fuming. She took a deep breath. "I'll be by the pool."

As Angela left the room, two men entered the room. They carried large suitcases. Beside them stood a young boy about Angela's age--Penny's son.

"Where do want these, Dave?" the first man--Jenny's husband--asked.

"C'mon. I'll show you the guest rooms."

____________________________________________

Angela hugged her legs close and she sat in a beach chair by the pool. She stared at her reflection. _Stupid wedding, stupid dress! Whoever created stilettos should be shot ..._ Her angry eyes stared back at her in the pool water. Then a different reflection appeared beside her.

"Hi." A young boy about her age took a seat beside her on the ground, crossing his legs. "You must be Angela. I'm Logan, Penny's son." He held out a hand.

Angela took in Logan's brown hair and green eyes. He seemed personable, so she shook his hand. "Yeah, I'm Angela."

"Your David's kid. The one who hates the wedding?"

Suddenly, he didn't seem so personable anymore. "I don't hate the wedding." She found herself standing. She began walking away.

Logan followed. "Well then why do you seem so against David marrying Hailey?"

"I'm not...You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

Angela looked toward Logan. She trudged back to the pool and sat down, patting the ground beside her. Logan accepted her invitation and, once again, sat crossed legged next to her.

She began to tell all. "I'm not against the wedding," she began. "I'm against change..." She sighed. "David once let it slip that he didn't love me. He was lying--I know he was--but it just hit me hard. How can he juggle a new wife and me? I'm not jealous of Hailey or anything--she's like the mother I never had...It's complicated." She thought before continuing. "I love David. I love Hailey. I just...don't want to be a burden on them."

"How would you be a burden?"

Angela wondered why she was going this--spilling her inner heart out to a person she didn't know at all. But she needed to empty herself. She would explode if she didn't. And she would never see Logan again, anyway. He was a good listener. Why not let it all out now?

"David's gonna want a family. He and Hailey are gonna want babies. Babies are enough trouble. They don't need to deal with me, too. I'm enough trouble." She ran her hand through her hair. "My dad abused me when I was little. I almost died...Everytime I see dads and their kids, I go back to the night he almost killed me. David hurt me once...by accident, of course, but..." She trailed off.

"I think I get it." Logan looked thoughtful. "You're scared...you're skeptical. You love Hailey and David, but you think they won't have time for you anymore once they get married and have their own kids. And you're scared of seeing David with his own child because you don't want to think about your real father all the time."

"Sort of...How do I explain this?" Angela stood up and paced. Then it came. "David has become everything to me. He's my rock, my safe harbor. I can be myself around him, and I feel safe when I'm with him. Hailey is the mother I've never had. She's my best friend, my hope. I feel like my own person when I'm with her. I'm just Angela then. But..."

"But what?"

"They've hurt me like you wouldn't believe!" She found it, the right words were coming now. "My heart is shattered. And I know I should be upset because whatever David said, he didn't mean. So what do I do? I blame myself, which only makes me hurt more. It makes me feel like a failure. I'm not angry. It's just a facade to get people off my back. I'm truly just hurting." Angela crouched down, staring at her reflection again. "I'd rather have David thinking I was mad at him then have him know what's really wrong. He'd blame himself."

It was only then that Angela noticed a person standing by the back door of the house, watching her. The figure ran inside, ashamed of eavesdropping. The door slammed, and only then did Logan realize someone was there.

"Who was that?" he asked.

"Hailey."

"Will she tell David?"

"No."

"Are you gonna ask her not to?"

"No.

"Then how can you be sure?"

Angela's answer was a shrug. She lay down on the ground and looked up at the sky. "Logan?"

"Yeah?

She grinned to herself. "You dig okay."

"Thanks." Logan lay down beside her. "You gonna be okay now?"

Angela thought for a moment. "Yeah, I think so." She sighed. "Now I just gotta get through tomorrow."

**A/N- I know, I know. I've constantly said, "It's gonna end soon, it's gonna end soon..." Well, I think I mean it now (emphasis on the "think"). Hopefully, the next chapter be it. REVIEW PEEPS! REVIEW!!!**


	9. 9: Dum, Dum, Dum, Dum

Chapter Nine- Dum, Dum, Dum, Dum

The bride and groom drove away from the church in the back of a black limo with tinted windows. Cameras flashed as the car traveled down the street. David had no clue how the paparazzi found out the location of the wedding, but at that moment, he really didn't care. The only thing he cared about was the woman sitting next to him, desperately trying to remove her veil.

David laughed as fluffs of white flew this way and that. "It didn't seem like this much when I lifted it to kiss you."

Hailey's chuckle was one of amusement and frustration. "Thank God I will never have to wear a veil again."

"First and last time?" David asked happily.

"First and last time," she replied, her face emerging from the lacy fabric of her veil. She kissed David on lips. Pulling back slightly, she asked, "Do we have to go to the reception? I'd much rather stay here...with you."

"Too late to elope, remember?" David joked. "We're married, and now it's time to celebrate."

The reception hall was abundant with people. Upon entering, David and Hailey were bombarded by congrats and kisses from loved ones. David gripped Hailey's hand tightly, squeezing it every now and again to be sure it was really there, to be sure it was all real. Hailey played with David's fingers and she held on tightly. And David was reassured. But the whole night still seemed surreal.

How did it come to this? From the sandlot days, to softball, modeling, and baseball careers, to a daughter, to this night....Time flew by. And as David and Hailey shared their first dance as husband and wife, a single tear fell down David's cheek. All these years, he had felt like there was someone out there, waiting to be with him. Finally, he had found her. And all he had to do was dive into his past. And he had found Hailey, his past, his present, and his future. Life never tasted so good. The happiness spilled from his eyes.

Standing in the far corner, hidden in the darkness and away from the crowd, sat a lonely brunette girl. Her chocolate brown eyes watched as two figures--one dressed in black, one dressed in white--swayed ever so slowly on the dance floor. The graceful movement of the two conveyed a true connection, an understanding. In that moment, life was trouble free and painless. Just love existed. And all who watched, including the girl, felt the sudden surge of emotion.

Hesitantly, slowly, the girl walked out of the shadows of the reception hall and crept toward the stage where the band played a soft melody. The final chords rang out and echoed through the hall as Angela reached the stage. Feeling everyone's eyes on her back as she ascended the stage, Angela made her way to the lead guitarist. She whispered softly in his ear, and he responded with a bright smile. He handed her his six-string, placing the strap gently around her neck. Escorting Angela to the microphone, he announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, David's daughter would like to speak a few words before an original performance." He led the crowd in applause. He backed away from center stage, giving Angela the floor.

"Um, hi...." Angela adjusted the guitar around her neck, toying with the pick in her hand. "I met David at a very bad time in my life. And he was the sunlight in my darkness. But lately, that's sunlight's been getting a little dim." The people in the crowd murmured quietly. Many looked at Hailey. "No, no, no it's not Hailey's fault. It's not even David's...It's me." Angela sighed. "My father, my real father, almost killed me--" she rubbed the scar on her face "--I have the scar to prove it. So when I met the Durango family, the last thing I anticipated was learning how to trust and love again. But I did. And it took two deaths for me to find the person who would teach me."

David held on closely to Hailey, refusing to let her go. Yet his eyes remained glued to Angela on the stage. No emotion crossed his face. Just a look of concentration and seriousness.

"We had a great life when it was just the two of us...Baseball every day, trips to the beach, weekends in the mountains. And then came Hailey...Along with the feeling of loneliness." Angela looked down at her shoes. "I'm not going to try and explain myself. It'll take forever. It's too complicated. But I will say this..." Angela stared David square in the eye. "I'm sorry. I love you, Dad." Angela looked into Hailey's eyes. "And I love you, Mom." She prepared the instrument in her hands. "And I wrote you guys this." She quickly added, "Bear my bad singing." A chuckle escaped the lips of every onlooker.

"I wake up in the morning,

Put on my face,

The one that's gonna get me through another day,

Doesn't really matter how I feel inside,

This life is like a game sometimes."

Angela strummed away on the guitar. The music flowed fluently through the hall. Angela could feel her face turn red in embarrassment, but she continued nonetheless:

"Then you came around me,

The walls just disappeared,

Nothing to surround me,

Keep me from my fears,

I'm unprotected,

See how I've opened up?

You make me trust.

"'Cause I've never felt like this before,

I'm naked around you,

Does it show?

You see right through me and I can't hide,

I'm naked around you,

And it feels so right."

David stared on at Angela, his daughter, in amazement. The talent, the emotion...It was all overwhelming. Hailey's face conveyed all the emotions perfectly: astonishment, pride, love, happiness. But why did David just stand there like a statue?

"I'm trying to remember why I was afraid,

To be myself and let the covers fall away,

I guess I never had someone like you,

To help me fit in my skin.

"I've never felt like this before,

I'm naked around you,

Does it show?

You see right through me and I can't hide,

I'm naked around you,

And it feels so right.

"I'm naked,

Does it show?

"I'm naked around you,

Does it show?

I'm so naked around you,

And I can't hide,

You're gonna, you're gonna see right through,

You're gonna see right through."

Angela felt more comfortable now. They song was almost over. She just had to hang in there. David didn't look mad or anything. In fact, she didn't know what he looked like.

"I'm so naked around you,

And I can't hide,

You're gonna see right through, baby."

She strummed the last chord. Silence blanketed the hall, followed by loud cheering. Angela grinned slightly, handed the guitar back to man, and headed off the stage. She made her way through the crowd, ignoring the people who called after her and approached. She ran out the hall in a hurry.

David had lost his voice, but he still had his body. Reluctantly, he let go of Hailey's hand and ran after his daughter. He caught up to her easily, just as she was waiting for a city bus on a lonely bench. Her back to David, she appeared to be crying. Her first tears in years.

"Angela?"

Angela sniffed and wiped away the hot tears with the back of her hand. She answered David's silent question, "I'll forgive you if you forgive me."

David sat down on the bench beside his daughter. He placed his arm around her shoulders, forcing her to rest her head on his chest. "There's nothing to forgive..." He chuckled. "Though I must say, I hope they got plenty of pictures of you in that dress."

Angela elbowed David in the ribs. "Shuddup."

Five Months Later

Two outs, bases loaded, bottom of the ninth. His team needed a home run to win. It was a classic situation. And usually the hero hit a home run to win the game. But as David wiped the perspiration from his forehead, he realized he wasn't sweating because of the hot sun shining down on him. His eyes met the pitcher's. No. He was sweating because of the pitcher.

This wasn't just your average pitcher. She meant business. She had a wicked fastball and an even meaner curveball. Her eyes narrowed as she examined her prey, making David gulp in nervousness. And as the ball escaped the pitcher's hands and came hurtling at David, he could not help but wonder aloud, "Are you sure you've been on hiatus for all these years?"

The statement was a mistake. The words became a distraction, and the ball flew quickly over the plate, landing in the catcher's mitt with a thud.

"Darn it!" David shouted.

The catcher cheered and ran to the pitcher's mound, throwing herself into Hailey's arms.

"Still got it!" Logan shouted as he joined the girls on the mound.

"Hiatus my behind..."Nate muttered as he trudged from his position at third base.

Hailey laughed. "Maybe next time, boys. Then again, girls _are_ better. So maybe not."

David tossed his bat behind him and swung Hailey in his arms. "No, you're just a cheater!"

"Sure, sure," Hailey replied, "we'll go with that excuse. But this is, what? The fourth time?"

David chuckled and kissed his wife. "Fourteenth, actually. But who's counting?"

"Us!" everyone exclaimed.

David Durango gained much more than a wife and daughter that year. He found the true meaning of love. And even though he had it and lost it, he found it again. Because love always has a way of persevering as long as you do.

David Durango: He had it, he lost it, he got it back.

**A/N- Well, there you have it. It's been months, but the story has finally come to a close. For the record, the song is NOT mine. It's an awesomely awesome Avril Lavigne song called "Naked." But anywho, there are A LOT of awesome people to thank. :)**

**My reviewers, you've answered my requests (more like demands ;)) for reviews. blue22434, Zanessa4Lyfe, carbonelshm101, Sincerely Alex Brady, stalker213, and lewstar13. You're all cooler than my cell phone! (which is saying a lot ;))**

**All the people who put HHH on their story alert. Bell Wing, TomBoy800, Vampire's Heartache, and blue22434. To know you guys have kept track of the story makes my tummy all warm and fuzzy on the inside.**

**Everyone who made HHH one of their favorite stories. Jacob's-One-Girl-, Liason4Lyfe, Sincerely Alex Brady, and Zanessa4Lyfe. Duuudes, you made my day!!! :D**

**Thanks again to everyone who ever bothered clicking on the title of a very long story written by some chick who likes writing. You all rawk my sawks!**

**--durangokid**


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